Pa. Board Backs Aid for All Learning-Troubled Pupils

The Pennsylvania Board of Education last week approved a set of
controversial new special-education rules that require school officials
to provide some help to all students with learning problems, even if
they are not yet legally classified as "handicapped."

The procedures would require school districts to provide special
"instructional support teams" for each elementary-school student who
has trouble learning. Composed of the student's classroom teacher, the
school principal, and a "support teacher" trained and paid for by the
state, the team would meet to discuss a student's learning problem and
come up with strategies to help him or her succeed in the regular
classroom.

"This will reduce the number of kids who are inappropriately
referred for special education," said Robert Feir, executive director
of the state board. Proponents of the idea also said it will allow
children to get the help they need sooner--before they fail in
school.

The new concept has engendered considerable controversy across the
state, which has been in the throes of a funding crisis over its
special-education programs for nearly a year. (See Education Week, June
14, 1989.)

School administrators and teachers contend that the procedures will
place a heavy financial burden on the local districts charged with
carrying out the plan. And parents have expressed fears that the teams
would represent "one more hoop to jump through" before their children
could get the special-education services they need.

The board unanimously approved the new rules on Jan. 23, with four
members abstaining. Final enactment now hinges on approval from both
the legislature and an independent regulatory-review commission. Both
bodies must act within 30 days.

Major Overhaul

Intended to both improve special-education services and reduce
costs, the regulatory package represents the first overhaul of the
state's special-education program in 14 years.

In addition to establishing a new pre-referral process, it would
also:

Prohibit local districts from collecting state reimbursement for
some non-special-education services provided to handicapped children,
such as instruction in art, music, and physical education.

Ban the use of corporal punishment and "time out" boxes for
disciplining students with disabilities.

Establish procedures for serving handicapped infants and toddlers
and developing "transition plans" to help older students move from
high school to work or further study.

The rules guiding the development of "instructional support teams"
were modified somewhat from earlier versions in an effort to respond to
concerns from parents and school officials.

Rather than requiring immediate implementation of the teams, the new
rules would give districts five years to put a pre-referral mechanism
in place. They would also not be required to offer the new service
until they received training from the state.

Parents who wished to bypass the support-team process would be able
to ask school districts to evaluate their child for special education
at any time, Mr. Feir said.

Higher Costs?

The changes, however, have done little to alleviate concerns over
the potential costs of the new procedure.

"Instead of reducing special-education costs like they were supposed
to do, they've increased special-education costs," said Thomas P.
Gentzel, president of the Pennsylvania School Boards Association.
"Schools are going to be forced to pay a larger portion of a more
expensive program."

State school-board members said the new pre-referral process,
although costly at first, will reduce special-education costs in the
long run as fewer students are referred for special education.

Gov. Robert P. Casey has also said he will propose a significant
increase in special-education funding when he presents his budget plan
to state lawmakers on Feb. 6.

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